Myprotein Muffin Mix Review

I love cake. So when I saw Myprotein do a protein muffin mix, it's fair to say I was pretty interested. The tastiness of a muffin with a lot less sin and lot more protein sounded too good to be true, so I bought a bag and tested it for myself.

Each muffin should total out at about 36g of protein if you follow their instructions which is a pretty big amount of protein stuffed into these little treats. However as much as I do want to reach my goals and fit my macros each day, I do also want to do it by enjoying the foods that I eat and I'm not going to eat something if it is rank purely for the nutritonal benefits.

And sadly, I'm just not impressed by these. I'm all for a bit of sweetness but the artifical sweetness of this was just hideous! They smell and look the part but I just can't convince myself to eat these which is a shame.

Bottom line, if you're serious about gains and are happy to just chuck something back to help with your progress, then you can probably stomach these. But, if you were looking for something to have with your cup of tea or to bring in a lunchbox for when the sugar monster hits, then I'd say these probably aren't for you.

-Georgie

Why are sports brands not using sports people in their campaigns?

I'm always suprised when a brand decides to use a traditional 'celebrity' instead of an athlete or someone in the sports industry, to front their campaign.

Using a celebrity in a campaign can be extremely beneficial in raising awareness about the brand and allowing recall of it. But of course this is only a good thing if there is a good match between the brand and the individal; there needs to be a strong identifiable link that shows them as a credible ambassador. And, for some products, the breadth of someone that could be a credible ambassador is very wide. However, with sports there is a whole industry full of people who are very clearly identifiable as meeting the crieria- from atheletes to fitness models, sports and health bloggers, Youtubers and Instagrammers, if anything the field has grown massively in recent years to involve so many amazing people.

For a recent example, Puma have used Kylie Jenner to front their campaign. So why have they deemed that a non-athlete and someone who very much doesn't fit into the credible sports/health bracket (in my opinion), is the right fit for their brand? And why do other sporting brands think that using someone with no fitness credibility is going to bring fitness credibility to their brand?

From a PR perspective, it's always drilled home that the person needs to be relevent to the campaign, and relevent to right now. That then gives credibility to the brand, and raises awareness. If the credibility isn't there, then it's not gonig to equate to sales etc, and if the awareness of the individual isn't there, you're missing out on an audience that may not have seen the campaign had it not been for the person in it. So whilst undeniably Kylie would have the factor of drawing in the crowds due to her current prominence in the celebrity world, would it really persuade those interested in the product to go out and buy it? 

Personally, no. I don't look for sportswear and get influenced by someone non-fitness as that's not what I look up to. But there are probably a lot of people who are perhaps less interested in fitness or their interest is just sparking, and their knowledge of other sports brands is low. The celebrity brings them to the brand that they would otherwise not have had much interest in.

Therefore it leads me to think that perhaps those already vested in sports aren't really the targets when it comes to using celebrities and non-athletes in sports campaigns. Whilst it may not create long-term customers, I'm sure any products or campaigns do become hugely popular as that celebrity caters to a wide audience as a one-off. 

The question then is, does that affect those already loyal to the brand and make them feel like the brand isn't sticking to catering to them anymore? I would be interested to know your thoughts!

-Georgie

5 Healthy Snacks to Grab When You're On The Go

As much as I like to try and plan and prep meals and snacks, there are always going to be times when you're caught out and you want something to snack on that's not going to be off-setting your hard work in the gym. Thankfully, in the last few years, there has started to be a shift in lots of shops now making healthier snacks much more readily available- so here are my top 5 to get you through when the munchies hit.

1. Craving sweets? Go for dried mango

These are the best! They taste like little fruit gums or fruit pastilles, in that they're chewy and almost bit gummy and so are probably the closest thing you're going to get to sweets. My personal favourite is the Sainsbury's own brand ones, they come in small sized snack bags in locals but you can buy larger bags in the supermarkets. Yes there is sugar in this, but it is all natural so you don't have to worry too much, just make sure you're having natural sugars in moderation.


2. Craving a cereal/snack bar? Go for a Trek Bar

Quite often now you see cereal bars around the checkouts of supermarkets as a 'healthy' alternative to sweets and chocolate. But that doesn't neccisarily mean that they are good for you and they can often pack in a lot more sugar than you think, and not really have much nutritional benefits. However, Trek bars are a bit of a middle ground to this; I wouldn't reccomend them as an everyday food, but sometimes you need something you can just grab and go, and there's definitley worse choices out there than these.

3.Craving biscuits? Go for corn thins

There's always that time at work when you just want something to munch on whilst you have your tea, and usually the first thing that comes to hand is a biscuit. But step away from the biscuit tin, and into the world of corn thins/oatcakes. You can literally top these with whatever takes your fancy, but I'd stick to a nut butter and maybe some sliced banana or strawberries if you want to keep these on the healthy side. These require a smidge of preparation so if you really are on the go, grab the dark chocolate ones from Sainsbury's instead.

4. Craving savoury? Go for almonds

Almonds are a great way to get some good fats into your diet, but make sure you don't go overboard with these- you probably want to aim for no more than around 8-10. I always keep a bag of these tucked away in a pocket of my bag so that whenever I need something, I've got these to hand.

5. Craving chocolate? Go for a dark choc bar

And when I say bar, I mean a few squares of a bar! However places such as Pret do a great teeny bar that is about 2-3 squares of dark chocolate with sea salt which is amazing!

Hope that gives you some inspiration for next time you need a quick snack, please let me know your lifesavers in the comments!

GM

20 Reasons Why At 20 I'm Still Not A Grown Up

1. I still have no idea what I'm doing with my life


2. When cooking dinner, a pre dinner must be consumed because
ain't nobody got time to wait around whilst your main meal cooks


3. Joining a motorway when driving still scares the shit out of me


4. You have to pay bills for sewage? Wtf?


5. Making doctors/dentist appointments are still panic inducing;
when am I free for an appointment????


6. The daily scare of of questioning whether you left the house with the
straighteners still on- surely an adult should be worrying about things like
cookers and gas being on, not hair appliances


7. I would still much rather have a pet than a baby. Less puke and poop
is good for me thanks.


8. I'm not out of touch with social media/slang yet- hold on what's
a thot??


9. It is still socially acceptable to not like wine, adults don't order vodka
lemonades at resturaunts.... do they?


10. I've still got long summer/easter/christmas breaks (thanks uni)


11. But obviously I won't do any work during them because


12. And of course I can quote all of Friends. Wait can adults do that too??
How old is Friends again??!


13. Justifiying ice cream for breakfast is still fine


14. Or basically anything for breakfast


15.Netflix is considered a significant other


16. Although I do enjoy watching Netflix with a cup of tea and malted milk
biscuits which makes me about 105


17. I do not have anything suitable for business wear. A real adult can
swiftly pull a selction of of outfits for said business occaisons


18. And the thought of eventually not being able to wear what I want everyday
makes for a very sad situation


19. But at least I can have a comforting McDonalds at any time of day with no judgement


20. And I still have no idea what I'm doing with my life

MYPROTEIN Pancake and Shake Review

Finally I've taken the next step in my fitness journey and have dabbled in the world of protein with the Myprotein chocolate caramel shake and golden syrup protein pancakes. When I started looking at protein products Myprotein stood out with the massive range of products they sell and at pretty reasonable prices I gave these two products a go.

The Myprotein protein pancake mix was something I've never heard of before; I've seen plenty of recipes including protein powder but nothing as simple as the protein powder itself and milk. 1 scoop of the mix and around 80-100ml of milk, a quick whisk and you're good to go! And the flavour of these are incredible, really sweet and full of flavour so there is no temptation to add any extras like sugar or syrup! I've been cooking these in the evening when I have early lectures so that I can quickly warm them through in the microwave, add some fruit and Fage 0% yoghurt and I'm good to go.

The Myprotein shake tastes so good you won't even know that its not a normal drink, and the protein mixes really quickly and easily so no lumps to deal with. Personally I have mine with milk to get a bit of added calcium but it tastes just as nice with water, a nice amount of chocolate and the caramel isn't overwhelming at all; you get it more as an after taste which is really tasty.

These two have made a massive improvement to my gains, I don't have a shake after every workout, probably just 1-2 times a week after I've had a serious lifting session. With a whopping 34g of protein per serving of pancake, and 20g per shake, hopefully I'll be making some more serious ab gains soon!

Let me know what your fave protein products are below!

Xx

Summer Loving

My printed trouser obsession has officially started with these H&M beauties! I love just tucking in a slouchy t shirt or a jumper in the day, and pairing them with a crop top and heels for a night out.

I wore them the other day paired with these River Island ankle boots, Zara coat and Topshop cami, and of course I couldn't resist wearing my Ray Bans aswell!

Xx

How To Keep Burning Calories AFTER You've Finished Working Out

Recently more and more girls have been showing impressive bodies from weight training. Not only does performing compound movements like weighted squats use pretty much every muscle, but weight training in general can help build you curves and sculpt your body. Still not convinced? If you're more concerned with 'fat loss' you may still be thinking that cardio is the way forward. However, whilst it can be really beneficial depending on your fitness goals, there is one benefit of strength training that outweighs cardio: you burn calories at a heightened rate for several hours after you have finsihed working out.

Source: Pinterest

After a heavy bought of strength training, you continue to consume additional oxygen in the hours and even days that follow. This is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC.

When your body uses more oxygen, it requires more caloric expenditure and an increased metabolic rate.

Your body doesn't just stop once you've finished working out, you consume additional oxygen in the hours that follow (the excess post exercise oxygen consumption). This means that when your body is using more oxygen, it requires your caloric expenditure to be be greater and your metabolic rate increases. Which in simple terms means that your body continues to burn calories at a hightened rate even after you've finished working out, which isn't the same for cardio.

Source: Pinterest

And as your lean muscle progresses and grows, your body is able to use calories more efficiently. Pretty cool. So the more frequent and consistent stength training you do the, the more EPOC your body will do, and as your lean muscle grows from the training, it will cause a more effeicient calorie use across the rest of the day.

And to top it all off, this is just ONE of the benefits of stregnth training and lifting weights!

Will you be adding weights to your training?

Xx

May Primark Picks

      

No shopping trip is complete without a little wander in Primark which inevitably always turns into a purchase. This month I've been loving their shorts, such as this pineapple printed pair and this aztec printed pair with bright orange detailing, which each come it at £4 and £6. They're both a flattering high waisted style and cover your bum nicely which is becoming something of a rarity in the shops at the moment!

I also picked up this travel mug for £1, its super lightweight, comes with the rubber gripping to stop you burning your hands and has a clip top to stop any leaks from the last few drips into your bag. Pretty much ideal for my drink when I commute into London soon!

Lastly I got this bikini top as I hate having bikinis that are all the same shape because I end up with major tan lines! They have so many styles in as usual and you can get a set for under £10 so its nice and easy to stock up for your holidays.

Have you found any Primark gems recently?

Xx

Sports Ball

Every year, all the varsity teams at Bournemouth Uni get together for an event at the O2 Academy nearby. The dress code is black tie, which makes a change from the usual fancy dress outfits everyone wears on Wednesday nights after matches! After a lot of searching, I finally settled on this Boohoo dress for the grand sum of £20, which comes in a few other colours (it's folded in half the picture).

First of all I ordered my regular size (8) but genuinely could not get in over my arms, I have never been so squished in my life. So after becoming trapped in the dress and being forcibly removed from it by the mother, I settled on ordering the next size up which thankfully I managed to get into this time without crushing any vital organs.

However once on it is the most flattering fit and length, and gives you some serious cleavage even if you're not too gifted in that department! I paired it with these Newlook shoes which were actually fairly easy to walk in and comfortable. Finally the clutch was borrowed off of my housemate and is from River Island.

It's so nice to have a night to be able to dress up with all the team, its the perfect end to the season!

Xx

Cambridge Satchel Backpack

I was lucky enough to receive this beauty, the satchel backpack, from my boyfriend for Christmas from The Cambridge Satchel Company, and I've worn it non stop since.  We went to Covent Garden to the store itself and got my initials engraved on the bag which was a really nice experience. The bag is quite little (18cm x 27)cm) but it makes it the perfect size for the essentials you need in the summer without being weighed down by a massive bag, and you've still got your hands free to eat ice creams. The buckles on the bag also make it nice and secure as you do have to fully unbuckle both sides to get into the bag so no easy zips or poppers for anyone to use to get into the bag whilst its on your back unaware.

The satchel backpack come in loads of colours and come in a dust bag which is a really nice touch. It's the perfect summer bag for your purse, keys and phone whilst you go out and enjoy the sunshine.

Will you be getting a backpack/ batchel for Summer?

Xx

Spending Bans

I'm lucky enough to be pretty good at saving since I started working at Topshop when I was 15 and have dealt with my own money from then on. However, there's always times where what I convince myself is an occaisonal treat is actually something I either don't need to buy or something that I buy too much of already! Having four Starbucks on campus at Uni can be fab, especially in the Winter when I crawl in for 9am lectures, but just recently I've realised I've been rather spendy on my coffee fix.

With my holiday to Croatia coming up and the prospect of starting a full time job in PR in June which I'll need to get a work wardrobe together for, I really need to be saving my pennies! So for my final semster at Uni this year I'm going to attempt to not buy a single drink (sob sob) from Starbucks and see how much I can save!

What little treat would you cut down on to save a bit of money?

Xx

Macros: What Are they?

Aloha, if you're working towards your summer bod you'll probably be watching what you eat. You'll probably have heard the term 'macros' thrown about. But what do you actually need to look for? Fear not chums, hopefully I'll be able to explain this one and help you reach your ab goals.

Macros simply means macronutrients, which is the breakdown of the large food types you need in your diet. This mainly comprises of fat, protein and carbohydrates.
Remember that picture of the plate with food on from your childhood?

Whilst this isn't a perfect example, you get the general idea of what macros are now. So how do you track them and stick to your goals?

The main thing I'd reccomend is downloading the MyFitnessPal app (it's free), and just logging your meals, snacks, drink intake and exercise for a couple of days. There's a super handy part of the app which gives you a pie chart breakdown of how much protein, carbohydrates and fat you should be eating to reach your goals. You can break this down further to see which foods are helping you out reaching your targets and which aren't.

I've never had a problem with knowingly undereating but after a few days logging my intake, I realised that not only were my percentages of protein, carbs and fats all wrong, but I actually wasn't eating enough calories to reach my goal- which is to add some weight through building muscle.
Now that I've corrected this and eating my full recomended calorie intake each day, and in the right proportions, I honestly can't tell you enough how much it has improved my gains and general health! I feel so much more alert and full of energy and because I'm eating more good foods, I feel much fuller and no longer feel the need to snack on the not so good stuff!

What's your favourite fitness app for keeping you on track?

Xx

Burger Shop Bournemouth

As summer finalllllly seems to be creeping towards us, I'm sure a lot of people will be thinking of heading off to the beach sometime soon- studying at Bournemouth Uni definitely has its perks! And so whilst I have the pleasure of checking out the local restaurants, I thought I'd save you the trouble of picking a good spot to eat and simply direct you straight to Burger Shop.

Tucked away about a 15 minute walk from the town center is quite possibly the home of the best burgers ever. Big claim, but Burger Shop always delivers- and quite literally delivers aswell to nearby areas so if you're staying in a hotel and don't fancy moving, you can still try it!

My favorite is the trusty House burger but with burgers and hot dogs to choose from you can't really go wrong. Not only are the burger amaaaazing and really filling, they are really reasonably priced for the top quality burger you get.

The place itself has a really laidback chilled vibe and there's usually some kind of offer running or limited edition burger available so you'll always be in for a good meal.

You can check out the menu for yourself and find more info at www.burgershop.co.uk

Holiday Shoes Wishlist: Ipanema

Apparently it's nearly Summer, not that the British weather has accepted that at all! And so whilst I'm probably not going to be wearing summer shoes for a little while longer here, it's just over a month till I head off to Croatia for a week so I've been trying to get together some sandals and flip flops to wear over there. Ipanema flip flops are made in Brazil and 100% recyclable, and it's nice to see a company being ethically responsible.
The soles of all Ipanema's shoes have a really unique feature in that they are inspired by the pattern on the walkways by Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro which is a really lovely touch!

My absolute favourite has to be the Ipanema Festival sandal in this nude/gold colour. The feather like detail really does add that festival feel to them and they look like they'd be really comfy to walk in with the ankle strap support as well. I would wear these when we visit Venice for one of the days I'm on holiday as they would look great against a tan and with a floaty summer dress.

I also love the Ipanema Fit, which have an ombre design which makes it a bit different to what you normally see around in high street stores. The black and white pair would be lovely in the evenings as they would go with most outfits, whilst the pink and peach pair would make a great addition to your beach side wardrobe.

Let me know which are your favourites from the Ipanema website!

Xx

Fitness Faves.

Fitness is a massive love of mine. I've taken part in pretty much every sport you can think of and they are really are my version of relaxing! Since being at Uni I've become a keen bean gym-goer, and particularly since January I've really stepped up my game and started lifting weights more regularly as well as eating clean. So to help motivate me (and you) to get gym ready, here are some of my favourite work out clothes of the moment. 

Nike flash leggings £90, Nike Pro training shorts £23, Adidas 'Train the world' vest £17.99

Forever 21 caged sports bra £10, Forever slouchy orange vest £10, H&M neon sweatshirt £5.99

I always find that mixing up specific sports wear pieces and high street pieces gives the best gym look, but brand wise I am definitely a Nike girl at heart. The 'flash' leggings are pricey but if you work out outside or in the evenings they would really come in handy- practical+ultra cool= winner! The sports bra has such a pretty back, and paired with either of the vests you'd be able to show off those back gains like a pro.

Where's your fave place to shop for sports gear?

Xx

Take 5| Christmas Jumpers

Oh hello again Christmas, how have you come round so quickly again? More to the point how has this cold weather come around so quickly again, I need sunshine! Sadly I don't think we'll be getting too much of that for the next few months so here are some of my fave christmassy jumpers at the moment, and if you want to work the trend without the commitment of the full on jumper, these nails will be right up your street.

Piste Off
£21.99 - missguided.com

Candy Canes
£16.99 - missguided.com

Filthy Animal
£15 - boohoo.com

Naughty List
£21.99 - missguided.co.uk

River Island Nail Wraps
£8 - riverisland.com